Drama’s Graduating Playwrights Get Introduced to the Industry

On Monday, February 11, The New School for Drama held a staged reading event introducing the graduating playwriting students and their work to an audience of literary agents, managers, and producers. Playwrights had the opportunity to describe their work and share a little about themselves, and presented a short staged reading of an excerpt from their thesis plays.

“This is a great opportunity for the playwrights to network and get their voices out there,” noted Robert Hoyt, Drama’s director of professional development. “It gives them the opportunity to make face-to-face contacts and get their work heard in a very simple and effective way.”

Hoyt called this year’s introduction the most successful yet, with representatives attending from agencies including Gersh, Bret Adams, Abrams Talent, and United Talent Agency, as well as Primary Stages Theater, The Vineyard, The Public, New York Theater Workshop, Roundabout, and Second Stage. New York Stage and Film and Sundance Theater Institute also attended, along with producers from Andrew Lauren Productions, Arielle Tepper Madover Productions, and Jean Doumanian Productions.

The excerpts read during the event are from plays being presented as part of The New School for Drama’s NEW VOICES Playwrights Festival, which begins its six-week run on Thursday, February 28 and continues until April 12. Five original plays will be performed in repertory, highlighting the work of the graduating playwrights, directors, and actors.

For more information, a complete performance schedule, and to read descriptions and excerpts for the plays, visit Drama’s website.